Empowering women and girls and promoting gender equality is crucial to accelerating sustainable development.

Ending all forms of discrimination against women and girls is not only a basic human right, but it also has a multiplier effect across all other development areas.

Government has made laudable efforts towards tackling gender discrimination through its  proactive policies, schemes and legislation like Beti Bacho Beti Padhao, Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, Balika Samriddhi Yojana, CBSE Udaan Scheme, National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education, Dhanalakshmi Scheme etc for girl children.

The Women and Child Development Ministry started National Girl Child Day on 24th January in 2008 with the purpose to spread awareness among people about all the inequalities girls face in the Indian society and to combat social discrimination and exploitation of the girls.

Caritas India is also among one of the organizations to observe this day to promote the Girl Child in society. As the Organization is working with its partners across the nation it always tries to be a part of such event where women and girls are always encouraged in the society and are empowered so that they can always be a Champion.

Swaraksha Anti Human Trafficking programme upholds the dignity of women and children in the society and in the last three years, the programme has promoted several women and girls to come out of their houses and raise their voices against the ill practices against them in society. Now they have started talking about the issues like Child marriage, Child Labor and violence against women.

To give these women a platform for sharing their experiences and actions, a two days event was conducted by Caritas India and its partners under Swaraksha programme in Uttar Pradesh on National Girl Child Day on 24th January 2021. The change in the community cannot be brought by a single entity but can only be achieved through the collaborative action taken with different Stakeholders to bear good fruits.

Caritas India with Save the Children, Uttar Pradesh Police, State Commission for Child Rights and Amar Ujala, the media partner came together to raise the challenges and achievements of the Heroic Girls and women who deserve to be an Idol for everyone in this society who wants to touch the skies.

This event was also organized to sensitize the police to be an active responder in the cases of violence against women. More than forty women Police from women Power line wing pledged for the Girl Safety in the Society following the orientation given by the law expert Anita Singh on different Laws, especially the Juvenile Justice Act. Ruchita Chaudhry, DCP Crime against Women encouraged the girls to report the cases of molestation against them to the Police for appropriate actions.

Preeti Verma from State Commission for Protection of. Child Rights- (SCPCR) applauded women for not only taking care of the family but also excelling in whichever institution they serve. SCPCR Representative also expressed that the State Government is very keen to work on the women Safety and several Schemes were launched for the Girls from vulnerable families. Save the Children shared about the PIAGGIO Program where they are working for children in the streets especially on Girls Safety. Communication and Advocacy manager informed that about 51% of females living on the streets are married and are being harassed. She urged Women Police for prompt actions against such eve-teasers.

Amar Ujala, the media partner of the event shared about their Campaign, Aparajita 100 million smiles and said they are always involved to promote the women safety in the society through their campaigns. Caritas India also shared how the Girl Champions from Child Parliament under Swaraksha AHT Program raised their voices against Child Marriage, Child Labor and Harassment against Girls. Now they are aware of the child rights and they are collectively working on the issues. A Charter of Demand from the Girls participants was also handover to the SCPCR and UP Police Officials. A Policy Draft prepared by Caritas India on the Rights of Children During Covid-19 and Beyond was also Launched during the event and shared with the stakeholders.

During the event, the success stories from the life of girls and women were also shared.

More than Seventy-five participants attended the programme. Before concluding the event the Charter of Demand was shared by the Girls where they mentioned the challenges, they come across the society when they move.

A webinar was also conducted By Save the children in associated with Caritas India and Amar Ujala to highlight the challenges of Girls living on the streets. Renuka Mishra -ADG UP Police in the webinar appreciated the Girl Champions, Rabina and Damini for sharing their experiences to Stop Child Marriage and Child labour in their areas through community mobilization and other actions. She also expressed that after listening to their big deeds, she would surely want to meet these brave Girls in person. She suggested that this is not an individual effort, we need to jointly work together so that we can see the big changes.

“Now we have data of these children which is now easy for the Govt. to Rehabilitate them and link them to Govt. Schemes like we are paying these children two thousand Rupees every month in their Bank Account under Child Protection Scheme of State Government,” said Shri Punit Mishra -Deputy Director WCD(Women and Child Development), UP. He was shared his view on the safety of Girls Living on Streets.

Prof. Manju Agarwal, Dean from Amity University urged to change the mentality for the Streets Children, and we need to work for the Children on Street Concept. She said, “Every day the number of Girls is increasing on the Streets and after some time either they are trafficked, or they become a victim of abuse.” She insisted to sensitize boys on the issue of Girls safety to see the change.

Under Swaraksha programme Caritas India partners DSWS, PGSS and DEHAT also observed the National Girl Child Day with Girl Children and Stakeholders at the community level. To know their views on the Importance of Girls Safety, an Essay competition was organized to encourage the Girls. A half-day event with Girls was conducted to make them aware that they are not only important, but they are valued by everyone in this society. Police officials, Border forces, Panchayat heads and Partners team members along with Girls organised a rally to spread the message on equality among boys and girl in the families and communities, ensuring Girls Safety everywhere and promotion of Girls Education in the families. Towards the end, a charter of Demand was handed over to the stakeholders where the Girls shared their Challenges at the community level and requested to address them by creating a conducive environment in the society.